Strangling the CEO
by The Vixen
Summary: The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he waited to see what else she was saying to him. I was immediately confused by this. If it was jealousy, it was the second time I had seen it that day. (T/P, G/B, U/M)
1. Swamped

A/N: You know what's horrible? Whenever I listen to pop songs I get ideas for fanfiction.   
Maybe its their ridiculous catchy-ness. Maybe its the way they rhyme like Dr. Seuss books. I  
don't know what it is, but frankly I'm scared. I don't like pop music. In fact, I strongly dislike pop  
music. But there's just no avoiding it these days. I'm more of a Nirvana, Green Day, Incubus,  
Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, NOFX, etc. kind of person. Anyway, my idea for this  
fic 'popped' out of a pop song I heard on a commercial. I forget which one though - luckily. Also,  
part of it is somehow inspired by the movie "Office Space" which I think is hilarious. Anyway,  
here's my fic, I hope you enjoy.   
  
  
Chapter One - "Swamped"  
  
My heart was racing. I started to sweat. I knew I was in deep trouble, and everything seemed  
utterly hopeless. My mind was going crazy and I was panicking. This was no way for the cool,  
calm, collected (and eligible) President and CEO of Capsule Corporation to be acting. But I was  
in big trouble this time. This was life or death. 'Oh my Kami,' I thought over and over, 'what the  
hell am I going to do?' I had worked so hard to get to this point... and now I'm a mess. I have no  
idea what I'm going to do without it. I think I'm going to cry.  
  
I lost the budget report draft.  
  
I frantically sifted through the mountains of papers on my desk. I know it has to be around my  
messy office somewhere! Or I could have thrown it out along with the extra copies of last year's  
budget report... I kicked over the trash can next to my desk and ran over to it, half expecting  
that draft to jump into my hands and give me a big hug. But I was shocked to find my trash can  
empty. There wasn't even a bag in it. Suddenly, realization. 'Phil the trash guy!' I ran out of my  
office and stopped at the door. I could see the whole hall from there, and there was definitely no  
Phil to be seen. In fact, the whole hallway was deserted, except for my secretary, Janet. She  
was putting on her coat and getting ready to leave for the night. She looked up at me, and I  
think she expected me to say something. I guess me flinging my door open and standing there,  
panting as if I'd just run a marathon, was a little odd.   
  
"Have you seen Phil - the trash guy? I think he took something by mistake," I began breathlessly  
as I motioned back to my office and glanced over my shoulder at it. Then something caught my  
eye on the floor near my desk. A thick packet of paper with a blue cover. Of course. The  
budget report draft.  
  
"Phil is doing his normal rounds," Janet said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"  
  
I could feel a huge wave of relief surge through my body, as well as a prickling of  
embarrassment. "No," I answered quickly, "I just... needed a trash bag." As soon as I said it I  
realized that I was a stupid, stupid man.  
  
"Oh," Janet said, and I could hear the confusion and skepticism in her voice. "Well, I'm sure he'll  
be around with the bags soon."  
  
"Thanks Janet," I said, returning to my office, "have a good night."  
  
"Are you staying late again, Mr. Briefs?"  
  
"Just a little," I responded. Of course I was staying late. There was so much that still needed to  
be done. I was way behind. I couldn't sleep knowing I left about a million tasks unfinished.  
  
"It's seven o'clock," she said frowning. "Don't you have a family to go home to?"  
  
She was new. She didn't know any better.  
  
"No. Goodnight Janet."  
  
She gave me a weak, but kind smile. "Goodnight Mr. Briefs."   
  
Then she left, popping her gum and playing with her hair as she waited for the elevator, leaving  
me the last person on the floor. I sighed and returned to my office, and snatched that stupid  
draft off the floor. Jon, who I have dubbed 'the Gallant Asshole' had handed it to me last week,  
and I was supposed to either approve it or return it to him with my own notes and revisions so he  
could draft it up again with the changes. He had asked that I have it done within a week, and  
then he walked out of my office in his usual manner - like he has a stick rammed up his ass. I  
should have started this thing days ago, had I not been swamped with other various projects and  
end of the quarter work. 'So yes, Janet,' I thought bitterly, 'I *am* working late again. I have a  
*real* job that requires that I actually work hard instead of gossiping by the copy machine.'  
  
I sat down and sighed. This was going to be another long night. I got back to work, ignoring my  
grumbling saiyan stomach. Within half an hour, I was deeply engrossed in my work. Jon the  
Gallant Asshole's budget draft kind of irked me. No, it *really* irked me. There were smiley  
faces next to the company's savings and sad faces next to our expenses. He was such a weird.   
I personally thought he was on the queer side, but he was always flirting with the women in the  
office. I continued to go through his happy little budget draft. If he didn't do such a good job with  
the figures, I would fire him for the nerve that man had.   
  
The sudden loud ringing of the phone shattered the absolute silence of my office. I admit I  
almost messed my pants. I quickly composed myself and picked up the phone.  
  
"Trunks Briefs," I answered.  
  
"Trunks, I was hoping you wouldn't answer," a familiar voice said. Goten's.  
  
"You like talking to my voice-mail better than me?" I asked jokingly, glad for the break.  
  
"Almost," Goten replied with a laugh. "Actually, I figured if you didn't answer it would mean you  
were on your way home. I thought you said you were going to come with us tonight."  
  
I scanned my aching brain. Us? Did I make this appointment? Er, I mean - did I say I would  
go? And to where? I was completely dumbfounded. "Go where?" I asked.  
  
"Well," Goten began, "You said you'd come out with Bra, Pan, Marron, Uub, and I tonight. To  
the clubs or bars, like we used to."  
  
"Oh," I said dumbly. I felt really bad. I did remember telling a very excited Pan I would love to  
go. But really I couldn't. There was no way this work was going to finish itself magically before  
the end of the quarter. "I'm sorry Goten," I said, "I really have a lot of work to finish. I'll be here  
all night."  
  
A pause. "Are you sure?" He asked. I could hear the disappointment in his voice. I could also  
hear a girl's voice in the background. "Goten? What's wrong?" It was Pan's voice. I felt even  
worse. Pan was always my drinking buddy. We're always told how funny we are when we're  
drunk together. Fake accents and all. Our group - Goten, Pan, Bra, Marron, Uub, and I - hadn't  
been out together for a month or two now. My sister and Pan had to study for and take their  
finals to graduate, so we all agreed that none of us would drink or go to any clubs until they were  
done their finals. It was our sacred pact. Now they were done, and they were out of college.   
Each passed in the top of their class. Pan had come to me excitedly after the ceremony and  
given me a hug.   
  
"So," she had said then, nudging me, "when is my best buddy Trunks going to take me out to a  
bar, so we can tell people our theory of the falling sky? Or better yet, when is my best buddy  
Trunks going to get high with me so we can travel to the wonderful land of La-la?"   
  
I remember noting that these were the first words I heard out of Pan after she graduated college  
to embark on the long journey to discover and live her future. Good ol' Panny. Its no surprise  
that she's one of my best friends. I had told her that I'd love to go, and all she had to do was tell  
me the date, place, and time and I'd be there. Now I felt pretty bad.  
  
"I'm really sorry," I said. "I'm swamped with paperwork and other crap to finish before the quarter  
ends. I've got a week and I'm only about half-way done."  
  
"Alright then," he said. I could tell that he understood and wasn't mad at me, but I still felt bad.   
"If there's any way you can join us tonight we'll be at Midnight Sun. Good luck." I nodded to  
myself as I sifted through some more paperwork on my desk. Midnight Sun was the club and bar  
that we went to all the time. It was the only club that we knew of that didn't smell like piss and  
puke.  
  
"Thanks. And tell Pan I'm sorry and I'll make it up to her," I told him.  
  
"I will. Later Trunks."  
  
"See ya Goten."  
  
I hung up the phone and got back to my paperwork. Not only did I have to go through Jon the  
Gallant Asshole's budget draft, but I had a couple of other projects as well. Marie the Pissy Bitch  
had written me a complaint a day, for about two months, about how the water cooler never held  
'cool' water - it was always warm. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm the CEO of a large corporation. The  
President and CEO. I have nothing to do with that damn water cooler. I crumpled her  
complaints into one big ball and threw it at my door. I planned to leave it floating in the water  
cooler the next day, or maybe throw it at her. Later I found another complaint from Marie the  
Pissy Bitch, saying that there were never cups for the water cooler. Again, I am the PRESIDENT  
and CEO of Capsule Corporation. Not the President and CEO of the water cooler.   
  
I decided it was time for a break, and time, for once, to do something productive on my break. I  
went into the hall, picked up the water cooler, and flew out about 50 feet over Marie the Pissy  
Bitch's reserved parking space. I then proceeded to drop the water cooler so that it smashed into  
a million pieces right on my target. I smirked. Time to get back to work.   
  
The first thing I did when I got back was go over Marie the Pissy Bitch's performance review, to  
see if she was expendable. Fortunately she was. I decided to look into firing her the next  
morning, which merely involves getting my mother's opinion. My mother had known most of  
these people for many years, but I had a feeling that Marie the Pissy Bitch wasn't one of her  
favorites, and I'd have no problem getting rid of her.   
  
Then it was on to more serious work. I worked until all hours of the night (or should I say  
morning), and finally got done a suitable amount of work. I looked at the clock. It was 3am. I  
usually never worked this late, but I had lost track of the time. I raked my hand through my hair  
and rubbed my face. Damn was I tired. I decided I didn't feel like going home that night. It was  
too late for that. The jacket to my suit was hanging on the back of my chair. I grabbed it as I  
stood up, and hung it on the coat rack next to my office door. I took off my shirt and did the  
same thing, and then proceeded to take off my pants. The thing I like about being a guy is that  
you're always wearing your pajamas. I laid down on my couch, wearing only my boxers, and  
pulled the throw blanket over me and fell into a deep sleep.   
  
When 9:00am rolled around, I would have more work to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: It's a little bit of a short chapter, but I hope you like it. Could you please review? I'll give you  
a chocolate chip cookie if you do! Really though, I'd appreciate it if you'd review because I want to  
know how you like this fic. I don't write for my health you know - I write for the reader. 


	2. Good Morning, 'Sunshine'...

A/N: Well, reviewers - THANK YOU! *holds out burnt cookies*. They taste kind of like chicken  
though... I don't think you want these. *shruggs and throws cookies in the air* Look its raining  
cookies! Okay I'll make brownies this time, and if you review, you get brownies!  
  
The first chapter was in Trunks' point of view, but this chapter switches to plain old 3rd person.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
  
Chapter Two - "Good Morning, 'Sunshine'..."  
  
Bulma frowned and watched her husband scarf down the waffles she had made for breakfast.   
Pretty soon there would be none left, and Trunks hadn't even come down to eat yet. Bra was  
eating a smaller version of a saiyan size meal. 'Smaller version' meaning it was still too much  
for the average human to handle, but just perfect for Bra. As she ate she was on the phone, and  
Bulma presumed that she was talking to Pan. The two girls were pretty much inseparable.   
  
"Bra," Bulma said, and waited for her attention.  
  
"Hold on a sec, Pan," Bra said as she looked up at her mother. "Yeah?"  
  
"Where is your brother?"   
  
"I don't think he came home last night," Bra replied. "Or at least if he did, he wasn't in his room  
this morning."  
  
Bulma put her hand on her hip and frowned again. It was unlike her son to stay overnight at  
Capsule Corporation, and it was also unlike him to get up early and go to work without breakfast.   
Bra went back to her conversation as Bulma went back to her cooking and wondered just where  
her son could be. 'He better not be up to anything,' she thought to herself, knowing the elaborate  
pranks at work that Trunks had been known to pull in years past. But at the same time she was  
worried.  
  
"Bra," she said finally, turning back to her daughter, who was still on the phone. "When you get a  
chance, could you go see what's keeping him? It's Saturday, he's not supposed to be in the  
office today."  
  
"Sure, I'll go in a bit," Bra replied. Then she turned back to the phone. "Wanna come with me,  
Pan? It won't take long. Then we can go out."  
  
"Alright," Pan agreed. "I'll be over in a few minutes."  
  
  
  
Pan arrived about ten minutes later, and she and Bra flew to Capsule Corp. Had they walked  
and went through the parking lot, they would have seen a smashed water cooler occupying Marie  
the Pissy Bitch's parking space. But instead the girls flew directly to the entrance. Capsule  
Corp. was deserted on the beautiful Saturday morning, so they knew they didn't really have to  
worry about being seen flying. They took the elevator to the top floor - the 12th floor - where  
Trunks' office was. They exited the elevator and walked down the hall to the entrance to his  
office.   
  
They didn't bother knocking as they opened the door and walked right in. Trunks wasn't at his  
desk. Pan scanned the office and spotted him sleeping on the couch.   
  
"Shall we wake him?" Bra asked. The question seemed innocent enough. But once the girls'  
eyes met, their lips donned mischievous grins.  
  
"We definitely should," Pan agreed in a voice that, had Trunks been awake, he would have run  
from the room in fear of his life.  
  
The girls ran towards the couch and jumped on it... and Trunks.   
  
Trunks eyes immediately shot open, and he looked startled to say the least. Pan was on top of  
him, straddling his stomach and smacking his cheeks lightly to wake him up. Bra was sitting on  
his legs, tickling his feet. It took a moment for Trunks to realize where he was and what was  
going on. He jerked his legs out from under Bra, and she fell to the floor with the force of it.  
  
"Oww Trunks," Bra said as she stood up. "We were only trying to wake you, brother dearest."  
  
"By jumping on me and scaring the hell out of me?!" Trunks' heart was beating out of his chest.  
  
"Yeah," Bra said simply, playing innocent. "We didn't think you would mind."  
  
Trunks ran his hands through his hair and laid his head back on the arm of the couch. "You  
know," he began, "I normally wouldn't mind two twenty-two year old girls pouncing on me, but  
you're my sister, so I mind! And you're..." He trailed off as he looked at Pan and smirked, "you  
can pounce on me anytime, babe."   
  
She laughed. "Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that offer." She winked at him playfully. The  
two of them always joked around like that.  
  
He laughed and let his eyes wander over to the clock. 9:12.   
  
"Nine-twelve?!" He stood up quickly, and this time it was Pan's turn to fall to the floor. Slightly  
annoyed and flustered after her fall, she crossed her arms over her chest and blew strands of  
hair out of her face as Trunks disappeared to his bathroom. He emerged a few seconds later,  
hopping around with one leg in a pair of pants and trying to get his other leg into the second  
leg-hole.  
  
"What are you in such a hurry for?" Bra asked. "Last time I checked, you worked Monday  
through Friday, from nine to five."  
  
"And you didn't live here either," Pan added with a frown, noting the fresh suit he was putting on.   
Apparently Trunks had a closet full of extra suits, as well as a shower in his personal bathroom, a  
TV across from his couch, and a refrigerator full of food.  
  
"I don't live here," he grumbled angrily as he finished buttoning his shirt. "Maybe I work hard  
until all hours of the night trying to finish everything that the President and CEO of Capsule  
Corporation is supposed to do, okay?!"   
  
Pan took a step back as he briskly walked past her into the bathroom to brush his teeth. She  
was a little hurt and confused by his words and the way he snapped out at her. Bra was his  
sister, and used to these kinds of things. But he never talked like that to Pan.   
  
"Sorry," she mumbled. She knew he didn't hear her though. He was in the bathroom, combing  
his hair now.  
  
"And Bra," he said when he came out of the bathroom, "I'm in a hurry because I have an  
appointment for a brunch at 9:30. That's in fifteen minutes."  
  
"A date?" Bra asked hopefully. Just like her mother desperately wanted grandchildren, Bra  
desperately wanted nieces and nephews. Afterall, her 34 year old brother may have those  
youthful good looks, but the truth of the matter was that he just wasn't getting any younger.  
  
Trunks only snorted at the idea.  
  
"No," he said bitterly, "A brunch with a new client."  
  
"Oh." Bra said as she sunk down on the couch and watched her brother get ready.  
  
Trunks put on his shoes and then grabbed a tie off the rack and began to fumble with it. He was  
in such a hurry that he couldn't get his hands to cooperate and tie it. He looked up at Pan and  
gave her puppy-dog eyes. Instantly his brow deepened with confusion and concern - Pan looked  
kind of lost and upset. She snapped out of it when she realized he was looking at her though,  
and came over and fixed his tie for him with a weak smile.  
  
"Thanks Pan," he said as he grabbed his briefcase and ran to the door. "Bra, lock up please?"   
With that he flew down the stairwell, deciding against waiting for the slow elevator.  
  
"I love it how he says bye," Bra complained about Trunks' lack of good-bye.  
  
"He was just in a hurry," Pan said, "I'm sure he meant to say it."  
  
"Pan, he's always like this now! He's always too busy in work, doing things that don't need to be  
done, going to stupid client brunches on weekends..." She stood up and grabbed her purse. "He  
doesn't have time to have fun anymore. Last night was just the first of the many times where he  
will turn down a night of fun for a night of work, you know that don't you?"  
  
"Bra, maybe he's just been really busy," Pan reasoned. "He is the President and CEO of  
Capsule Corporation! Of course he's going to be busy now and then."  
  
"He was never this busy before," Bra argued.  
  
"Well...," Pan said, trying to think of why he could be so busy, "Maybe he's just... busy. I don't  
know."  
  
"Real good argument, Pan," Bra said sarcastically. "Anyway, let's go shopping or get ice cream  
or something."  
  
"Sounds good to me."   
  
Bra took a set of keys out of her purse and locked up Trunks' office. They turned around and  
began to walk down the hall, looking for the window that led to the courtyard. They would go out   
that one and then fly from the roof.   
  
"Hey," Bra said, motioning towards an empty space between two potted tree plants in the office.   
"Didn't there used to be a water cooler there?"  
  
Pan looked at the spot she was pointing to and shrugged. "Maybe it broke," she said. "Who  
cares though, the water in that thing was never cold anyway."  
  
"Yeah," Bra agreed, "And there were never any cups."  
  
"Yeah, that too," Pan said, shrugging. "Maybe they just trashed the thing then, because it was so  
useless."   
  
They shrugged and climbed out the window, levitating in the air as they closed it, and then flew  
to the roof and took off.  
  
While in flight, Pan couldn't help but wonder about Trunks. He was snappy and grumpy today. It  
had pissed her off. But some part of her still felt bad that Trunks was being strangled and  
completely bogged down by his work. 'But did he have to be so rude?' She thought. She shook  
her head, as if to shake the thoughts away, and concentrated on the flight to the mall. She  
realized that Bra had been talking about some cute shoes that she wanted to get, and so she  
pretended like she'd been listening. But she still couldn't stop thinking about Trunks.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, that was chapter two! Thank you for reviewing the first chapter, would you mind  
reviewing again? Reviews make me happy! Happy happy happy! By the way...  
  
I'll thank all of my reviewers by name just to show that I appreciate their opinions and words of  
encouragement. A big huge THANKS to readers: 'cat', 'Me, the DBZ Fanfic Reader' (you know  
who you are), 'Druid', and 'ann'.  
And thanks to the signed-in authors: SuperSayainforTrunks, Sam, Madrin, gWeN, Melfina-Pan, and  
ills. (I checked out signed-in author's fics! Found some real good ones, too!)  
  
Review review review everyone! I love reading them. Get creative! Curse me off! I don't care!   
(as long as you're joking when you curse me off... otherwise I'll cry like a baby.) I just like going  
and finding new reviews and reading them. Its fun!  
  
If you want a brownie, fill out the review box! 


	3. He's Making Me Miserable

A/N: Yaaaaay! I'm getting about 10 reviews per chapter! Not bad, although I'm sure there's  
more than 10 people actually reading each chapter... *glares at non-reviewers* You should be  
ashamed! Us authors work hard for you guys! Oh well... just enjoy the fic.  
  
  
  
Chapter Three - "Working Late Again"  
  
  
I couldn't stop thinking about Trunks. What was wrong with him? He used to be the one who  
made our weekend plans and would drag us all to various clubs and bars, laughing the whole  
time and making sure we all had fun. Now he seemed to have his dick caught in his zipper. He  
was an uptight businessman.  
  
"Pan?" I looked up and noticed that Bra was staring at me, I think she expected me to say  
something. Most likely she had asked me a question... I couldn't think of a way to pretend like I  
had been paying attention. I admitted defeat.  
  
"Sorry Bra," I said, "I wasn't listening."  
  
Instead of chewing me out though, she gave me a somewhat sympathetic smile. "It's okay," she  
said in a sugar-sweet voice. I couldn't help but wonder where this was going. "I just thought  
you'd like to know that a really cute guy is staring at you..."  
  
Some really cute guy was staring at me? Well that was nice, but I sure wasn't about to return the  
favor by batting my eyelashes like a ditz and starting a conversation. I was worried about  
Trunks. I wasn't going to drop everything and go flirt with some guy. The thought made me sick.   
I looked over at him. He was well built by human standards, and had dark hair and blue eyes.   
He was gorgeous, true, but I'd still seen better. For instance, Trunks was better looking. In fact,  
he was better looking than any guy I had ever seen. And he was one of my very best friends. I  
wasn't in the mood to flirt with this guy, who was now walking towards me. All I could do was  
worry about Trunks and sulk. He wasn't happy.   
  
"Hi, ladies," the guy said, taking a seat next to Bra and I at the round table we shared at the ice  
cream place. "Mind if I join you?" Well it's a little late now. And yes, I do mind, you asshole.  
  
"Bra, we'll talk about that little STD problem later," I said bluntly. The look on her face was  
classic. Her eyes completely bulged out of her head and her mouth hung open.  
  
"That's okay..," the guy said nervously, getting up, "I didn't mean to interrupt." With that he left.  
  
"Pan! I can't believe you did that!" Bra was completely flustered. "Now he thinks we have  
STDs!"  
  
"I never said we had STDs," I pointed out. "But who cares? Let him think that." I couldn't have  
cared less at that moment. I mean, really - who really cared about some guy who was trying to  
hit on us? All he wanted was sex anyway, and if that wasn't true then he wouldn't have left after  
I had mentioned STDs. (A/N: For those of you who don't know, STD means sexually  
transmitted disease.)  
  
Bra narrowed her eyes at me. I sighed. "Bra," I said, "could we just do something else? I'm just  
not in the mood to be here right now."  
  
"Alright," she said and stood up. "You're still sleeping over tonight though, right?"  
  
I nodded. It was Saturday, and usually on Saturdays I would sleep over Bra's, or she would  
sleep over my house. Actually, the whole group of us used to sleep over at Capsule Corp. when  
we would come back from the clubs or bars. But that changed too...  
  
"Good," Bra said, snapping me out of my thoughts once again. I followed her to the mall, where  
we ran into Goten. He was with Marron. Goten waved and both came over to us.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" Bra asked as casually as she could. Still there was something in  
her voice that was a little accusing, and I think that's because of Bra's small crush on Goten. I  
had always thought that she liked him, and when I forced it out of her, she said she only liked  
him a little. But I could tell she probably liked him more than she wanted to admit to me, his  
niece. She definitely was trying to control herself right now. But no one else seemed to notice  
Bra's slight hostility.  
  
"Hey guys," Marron greeted cheerily. "There are some big sales today! I tried to call you guys to  
see if you wanted to come with me but Bulma said that you two had left already. I was all by  
myself shopping for two whole hours!" She fake-pouted.  
  
"Oh no! Shopping by yourself?" Bra asked, feigning sympathy. I could tell she wanted details as  
to where Goten came into the picture. I couldn't help but snicker a little bit, and luckily no one  
noticed.  
  
"Yeah, I just finished, then I ran into Goten and now you guys," Marron replied. "It's okay though,  
I survived shopping alone. I don't want to ever do it again though!"   
  
Bra laughed with Marron. Although it was a bit funny, it still kind of disgusted me. Bra and  
Marron were die-hard shoppers, and I was not. They were both kind of girlie, which annoyed me  
to some extent. I loved them both as sisters, but I couldn't stand it when they got two-faced with  
each other over guys and fashion and such. It irked me that Bra had just two seconds ago been  
mad at Marron because she thought that she and Goten had a thing going on, but as soon as she  
found out that they didn't she was laughing and joking with Marron, without Marron ever knowing  
what was going on. I sighed and turned my attention to my uncle.  
  
"So what brings you to the mall, Uncle Goten?"  
  
"Well, I figured at least one dimwit would be here," he joked. I glared at him. "And," he  
continued laughing somewhat nervously, "I was pleasantly surprised when you showed up too,  
Pan!"   
  
He was so good at saving his ass from his own dumb comments. I love my uncle dearly. He's  
like a brother to me since it never seems like we were too far apart in age. A lot of times I just  
leave out the 'uncle' and call him Goten. We hang out often, and even our close friends are  
shocked at how much alike we can be... it must be those Son genes. I shook my head, laughing  
at him for his corny comment. He stuck out his tongue at me and winked.  
  
"You're my favorite niece, kiddo," he said. He had told me that a million times before as I was  
growing up, and he still occasionally says it still to test me and see if I remember my answer.  
  
"I'm your only niece," I replied with a smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
A little later we found ourselves walking around the mall, looking for something to do. Of course  
I was still thinking about the incident in Trunks' office that morning, and Goten could tell I was  
upset about something. He tried everything to make me feel better. It was actually starting to  
work, too.   
  
Marron dragged us all over to the women's department in Macy's to show Bra a cute purse that  
she had seen earlier that would be perfect to match some shoes that Bra had. Now, why Bra  
would need a purse to match her shoes, I didn't know. I'm really not the fashion expert here. I  
rolled my eyes as they got all google-eyed over the purse and talked about how great it was.   
Needless to say, I was bored out of my mind.   
  
"Hey Panny," Goten called.  
  
I turned around and instantly began to laugh. Goten and Trunks would do this all the time... and  
it never ever failed to make me laugh.  
  
Goten grinned at me and shimmied a little bit as I continued to laugh at him. He had put on  
various women's accessories. On his head he wore a pink sun hat with a large flowing ribbon on  
top, and around his neck he wore a women's fashion scarf. He was holding an ugly, gold  
flowered hand-purse in his gloved hands. Well, 'gloved hands' doesn't do it justice. He basically  
had his not-so-dainty hands shoved in some tiny women's gloves... the gloves looked ready to  
burst at the seams, and he couldn't put his fingers all the way in the small fingers of them. He  
had his feet shoved in a pair of bright red high heels, and on his face he had these hideous, large  
sunglasses that you'd only catch old people wearing. He grabbed a fancy shawl from a table and  
threw it around his shoulders.  
  
"How do I look?" He shook his hips and did his best to act like a woman. I stifled laughter at his  
dancing techniques. "Oh, look at me go!" He shook his hips wildly. "Feisty!" He blew me a kiss  
and winked as he continued his little shimmy and the occasional compliments to himself on his  
loveliness and wonderful dancing. I was rolling on the floor laughing by the time Bra and Marron  
turned around. Bra almost instantly joined me on the floor as she too laughed.  
  
"Goten," Marron hissed, "Do you want to get us kicked out of the store?!" She looked almost  
frightened.  
  
"Nobody would kick a beautiful woman like myself out of the store," he said, waving a 'gloved'  
hand and sticking his tongue out at her.  
  
Bra's cell phone rang just then, and we all calmed down enough so that she could answer it.   
"Hello?" We waited in silence to see who it was. "Oh, hi Uub!"  
  
It was only Uub. I looked over to Goten again and was about to tell him to put the stuff back  
when I noticed something funny. He wasn't smiling anymore, he was just staring intently at Bra.   
Though he was wearing those huge dark sunglasses, as well as the various other women's  
accessories, I could see that he looked kind of sad. Even the big fluffy ribbon on his sun-hat  
looked sad, too, as it fell into his face. He blew it away. The corner of his mouth twitched  
slightly, like he wanted to smile or say something but couldn't, as he waited to see what else she  
was saying to him. I was immediately confused by this. If it was jealousy, it was the second time  
I had seen it that day.  
  
"Yeah, we're at the mall," Bra said, continuing her conversation with Uub. "Goten is here too....  
yeah, we found him and Marron.... okay, well where do you want to meet? No, not there, I hate  
that store... alright, that'll do. I'll see ya in a bit then. Bye."  
  
We all looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to tell us where and when we were meeting Uub.   
  
"Uub said he's bored as hell, and he'll meet us at the fountain outside in about fifteen minutes,"  
she told us.  
  
"I didn't know he knew your cell number," Goten said casually. He was acting uninterested, as  
he took off the accessories, but I knew he was in fact very interested in her answer.  
  
"My mom gave it to him today when he called my house looking for all of us," Bra said as we  
began walking towards the fountain. I glanced at Goten. Question answered, problem solved.   
He was smiling again, as if nothing had happened.  
  
I knew it! Goten did like her! I'll have to have a little chat with him later. I wonder what Trunks  
will think about Goten liking his sister...? Or did he know? And with that, I completely forgot  
about Goten and Bra and my thoughts trailed back to Trunks. I was suddenly not in the mood to  
be at the mall anymore. We reached the fountain and sat down on the edge as we waited for  
Uub. Bra, Marron, and Goten talked and joked around with each other. I just kind of sat there. I  
didn't even notice when Uub arrived and sat down and began talking with everyone else.   
  
Finally I felt a gentle nudge on my arm. I snapped out of my depressing thoughts and turned to  
my uncle. He looked worried.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine," I lied and plastered a smile onto my face. He didn't buy it. I guess I should have  
known he wouldn't - after all, I have the best uncle in the world. But he didn't pester me with  
questions asking what was wrong. He knew I'd hate that.  
  
"Pan you're not fine," he said. Bra, Marron, and Uub were still talking to each other. He glanced  
over at them, and I guess he realized that I'd probably prefer a more private conversation.   
"Could you tell me what's wrong later?"  
  
I sighed. "No," I said, "I'll just tell you now. I'm kinda pissed that Trunks isn't ever around  
anymore, and he sort of snubbed me this morning when Bra and I went to his office, and now I  
just can't stop thinking about him, er... I mean *it* - I can't stop thinking about it, and it's ruining  
my day."  
  
He raised his eyebrow. I clenched my fists. I knew what Goten was thinking. And I wanted him  
to STOP thinking it immediately.  
  
"Guys?"   
  
Bra's voice snapped us out of our conversation. We turned back to our friends.  
  
"We were thinking we would go back to my house to watch movies or something," she said.   
Goten and I nodded and we all got up got ready to fly off.  
  
"We'll talk about you and Trunks later," Goten said, winking. He then began to smile his typical  
goofy smile and was about to fly off with everyone else until I grabbed his arm.  
  
"Good, we can talk about you and Bra later, too," I said vindictively, winking at him this time, as I  
flew off to catch up with the others. Goten didn't join us for a few seconds. I think I shocked the  
hell out of him, with the way I figured out his crush on Bra, so it took him a few seconds to realize  
what was going on before he took off and caught up to us. I could tell that he wasn't going to ask  
me any more questions about Trunks.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I stared at the TV but I wasn't concentrating on the movie Bra had put in almost two hours  
earlier. Instead, I was off in my own little world thinking of how miserable Trunks was. He really  
was absolutely miserable. He hadn't said so, but I could sense that he was. Call me crazy, but I  
could feel it, and it was making me miserable too.  
  
"Pan," Goten whispered. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Uh?" I was completely startled out of my thoughts. I guess I forgot I was in a crowded room. I  
wasn't sure what Goten had asked me, but I figured I could give a pretty indistinct answer that  
would work for nearly anything he asked me. "Probably," I said.  
  
"Panny, I asked if you were alright," he said, "but I guess you're not."  
  
Damn, so close! If I had chosen to just say 'yeah' instead of 'probably' then I could have nailed  
it.  
  
"I'm just thinking," I told him. He only nodded, and I guess he figured out that I was still thinking  
about Trunks. I mean... how Trunks is so miserable, and how I wish he'd have joined us last  
night. He opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it again. I knew exactly why he  
wasn't saying anything. He had to be really careful of what he said, because yours truly knows  
that he likes Bra! He opened his mouth to say something else.  
  
"Hey guys," Bra said, interrupting our conversation once again. I should remember to thank her  
for her good timing which worked for me not once, but twice today. "Let's go clubbing again  
tonight!"  
  
Everyone agreed that we'd go around seven. It was five o'clock now, and the movie only had  
about half an hour left to go. We decided that as soon as the movie was over, we'd start getting  
ready. They went back to watching the movie, and I went back to my own little world for another  
twenty-seven minutes. The movie was over all too soon, and everyone got up to get ready to go  
clubbing. Uub and Goten left for their houses to go get dressed, and Bra and Marron started up  
the stairs.  
  
"Come on, Pan," Bra called.  
  
"I'm going to stop by my house to get that cute outfit I bought last time you drug me to the mall,"  
I lied as I headed toward the front door.  
  
She nodded and continued up the stairs. "Hurry back," she called over her shoulder.  
  
Well, that wasn't exactly a lie. I was going to have to go get the outfit now since I told Bra that  
that's where I was going. But instead of flying straight home, I flew down the road toward the  
Capsule Corp. office buildings. I know that Trunks has to be here. The brunch he was going to  
should have ended hours ago.   
  
I reached the parking lot and looked around. The place was completely deserted - no cars were  
anywhere. Something caught my eye in one of the parking spaces. I went over to have a look.   
  
"Oh Kami," I breathed, seeing the smashed pieces. It was the water cooler that Bra and I had  
noticed was missing! It was scattered in a million pieces all over someone's parking space. I  
checked the sign above the space. "Reserved for Marie P. Birch" There must be vandals, or  
something. I shrugged and continued on my way to the entrance, and then the elevator of  
Capsule Corp. I reached the top floor and glanced down the hall. Trunks' office door was  
slightly ajar, and his light was on. So, like I suspected, he was here.   
  
I needed to see him. It was incredibly necessary, because I knew I could not have any fun  
tonight without him. He's making me miserable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: It's a bit of a long chapter, I'm so proud of myself!  
  
Anyway, please review!   
I have 22 reviews now. When I get 50 reviews, the next chapter will come out!   
  
  
  
  
  
JUST KIDDING! (it sure would be nice though.. heh heh..)  
  
Thanks to the reviewers 'Druid' and 'your brotheiery' (*sweatdrops* - that one was my brother!)  
and the signed-in authors: Mimi, Z, coherentidiot, SuperSaiyanforTrunks, Pan-Chan, ills, gWeN,  
Chibi-Chi, LavenderLily, and Jessi-chan!   
I checked out a few of their fics and loved em! ^_^  
  
Please review! 


	4. The CEO Falls for an Angel's Trick

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! *raises eyebrow at Akira Kino Arai* You didn't finish reading  
the author's notes at the bottom, did ya? I was just kidding about the 50 reviews thing! Hehe!   
Sorry about that! I think a lot of people didn't finish reading after the part where I said I wouldn't  
write another chapter until there were 50 reviews... I mean, my reviews jumped! Now I seriously  
almost have 50! I think I'll threaten to stop writing at the end of every chapter now...   
bwahahaha!  
  
By the way, if you want me to e-mail you when I update this fic, be sure to tell me in your review  
and leave your e-mail address. I'm sorry for the long wait on this one! I was actually busy... I  
got a job! *pigs crash through my windows and fly around my room* :: SWEATDROP ::  
  
  
  
Chapter Four   
  
  
I sighed and sifted through the mountains of papers on my desk once again. The brunch that  
morning was extremely uneventful, and somewhat of an annoyance, and within ninety minutes I  
found myself back in my office trying to finish my work. I wish I had just stayed in the office - I  
definitely would have gotten more work done.  
  
I've been sitting here for hours now, trying to finish whatever I could before my grumbling  
stomach kills me. It grumbled particularly loud, and then I heard a soft laugh. I didn't think  
anything of it until I realized that stomachs don't laugh. And it wasn't my laugh either - mine  
doesn't sound that feminine... does it? I looked up.  
  
"So you finally noticed I'm here," Pan said flatly. What was she doing sneaking into my office  
like that? It wasn't my fault I didn't notice her.  
  
"I didn't hear you come in," I said, a bit more irritably than I should have. "Next time it wouldn't  
hurt to say hello."  
  
She looked really upset, and I immediately felt a pang of guilt. Especially when she yelled back  
at me.  
  
"Trunks, are you deaf?! I've been trying to get your attention for a while now! I said hello about  
ten million times!"  
  
I hadn't even realized. "Pan, I'm really sorry, I'm just a little frustrated." She sat down on the  
chair in front of my desk, and I could tell that she was still a little pissed but she would forgive me  
anyway. "I've just been so busy," I continued, "and I was trying to get this work done so I could  
come home at a decent time tonight..."  
  
"A decent time?" She asked innocently. "When's that? Midnight?"  
  
I put my pencil behind my ear and ran my hands down my face as I leaned back in my chair. I  
guessed that she was a little pissed because I couldn't go out with the group last night. I had  
wanted to, but there was just so much that still had to be done. I looked over at her. She was  
looking at me expectantly.  
  
"So what did you guys do last night?" I asked, changing the subject a bit as I grabbed a pen and  
idly circled typos on Stinky Mike's notes on the new invention ideas. I've dubbed him 'Stinky  
Mike' because he wears so much cologne yet I still always smell something foul when he's  
around. I don't think he showers. He took great, in-depth notes on the invention ideas, but this  
guy has never heard of a spell check, and it looks like he dropped out of school in fourth grade.   
How come so many incompetent people work for me? I shouldn't have to deal with his spelling  
errors. I am President and CEO of Capsule Corporation. Not a fourth grade English teacher  
who goes through reports, finds the errors, and gives it back to little Mikey so he can redo it  
nicely. Why do I even put up with this crap?  
  
"Trunks? Are you listening to me?"  
  
I stopped circling and looked up at Pan. She looked really pissed. I wasn't listening when she  
was answering my question, which I admit was really rude of me.  
  
"Pan I'm sorry," I said, sighing. "I didn't mean to. I was just realizing that so many incompetent  
people work under me and I shouldn't have to be dealing with half the crap that I am now. When  
you're blaming someone for all the work I have, blame everyone else who hands me reports that  
look like they've been written by a fourth grader. Or blame the guy who puts smile faces all over  
the budget report draft. Or blame the lady who complains that the water in the water cooler  
never has 'cool' water - or cups." I slammed the pen down on my desk and ran my hands  
through my hair. This was so frustrating.   
  
"Trunks," she said as she raised an eyebrow. "Soon that's not all that lady will be complaining  
about."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked, dreading her answer. What could it be now? What more  
could this lady possibly find to complain about? In past months she had actually complained to  
me about how she felt that the window washers should wear clean, professional looking clothing.   
For Dende's sake, they were window washers! I can't deal with this crap!  
  
"Well," Pan began, "When I got here, I saw the water cooler smashed up in the parking lot."  
  
Oh. I opened my mouth to say something... but then I closed it. I laughed sheepishly.  
  
"Well...," I began. I really couldn't think of an explanation. I looked at Pan and tried to think of  
some kind of elaborate excuse. But she saw right through me, somehow.   
  
"Trunks... you didn't!" She looked at me, waiting for me to deny it. I kept my mouth closed. I  
really wasn't going to lie to Pan. I never have, and now wasn't the time to start. She was  
already pissed at me for ignoring her. "You did do it, didn't you! Trunks! I can't believe you!"   
She ran over to the window that overlooked the parking lot. She whipped her head back around  
to me, her eyes wide and her mouth open, as if demanding further explanation.  
  
"Heh..." I laughed nervously. "I can't wait till she sees it on Monday morning." The look on Marie  
the Pissy Bitch's face would be priceless. I wonder if I could somehow stick the pink slip (aka the  
'you're fired' slip) to her reserved parking sign. I think I'll hire a photographer to hide in the  
bushes and take some pictures when she arrives and sees her parking spot...  
  
Pan turned her head back toward the smashed water cooler. "Trunks," she began. I bet she's  
going to say I'm crazy or something. But she didn't. "Why don't you come out clubbing with us  
tonight? I think you need to get out more." Hmm... 'crazy', and 'you need to get out more' -  
same difference, if you ask me.  
  
"I have so much work to do," I found myself saying, even though I did want to go. "With all of  
these idiots I work with..."  
  
"Trunks, please," she pleaded. "You promised."  
  
"I can't, Panny. I'm sorry." I felt bad, but if I could just do a little bit more work, I could at least  
be home at Capsule Corp when they got back.  
  
"Since when does Trunks Vegeta Briefs break a promise?"   
  
"He always does," I laughed. It was true. I break promises to my stupid workers now and then.   
They don't deserve what I promised them anyway. And most of the time they're too incompetent  
to realize that I promised them something in the first place.  
  
She frowned and tried again. "Since when does Trunks Vegeta Briefs break a promise to *me*?"  
  
I opened my mouth to answer but nothing came out. I realized that I have never broken a  
promise to Pan. She really doesn't deserve broken promises, especially from me. And right now  
she was staring me down, waiting for an answer. And I didn't have one that would satisfy both of  
us.   
  
"I never break promises to you, Panny," I admitted. I didn't want to make her any more mad.  
  
"Don't call me Panny," she spat.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Come on, Trunks," she said, and shoved some papers off my desk as she sat down on it. My  
jaw dropped as I watched those precious papers floating to the floor. She grabbed my chin and  
turned my head so I was looking right in her eyes.  
  
"Trunks."  
  
"Wult?" She was still holding my chin, and squeezing my cheeks a bit as she did so, and  
needless to say it was a little hard to talk.  
  
"Are you aware that your dick is caught in your zipper?"  
  
I looked down as far as I could with her firmly holding my face in place. What was she talking  
about? "No elts nowt," I answered.  
  
"Yes it is," she argued.  
  
"No uts nut!"  
  
"It is my firm belief that you are an uptight business man with your dick caught in your zipper,"  
she said, narrowing her eyes at me.  
  
Now that was going a bit far. I shook my head out of her grasp and stood up.  
  
"I am not, Pan, you know me better than that!"  
  
"Oh do I? I didn't know that you lived in your office!" She was yelling now.  
  
"Pan I don't live in my office!" I yelled back.  
  
"Yes you do!"  
  
"No I don't!"   
  
"Yes you do!"  
  
"No I don't!"  
  
"Yes you do! You never leave!"   
  
Of course I leave...I think. "Pan that's ridiculous! I leave my office plenty of times!"  
  
"If I told you right this minute to leave your office, you wouldn't leave!"   
  
I wouldn't leave?! I'll show her!  
  
"I would too! In fact, I'm leaving right now!" I grabbed my coat and ran to the window in the hall,  
opened it, and flew out. She followed me outside, and closed the window. We were now  
hovering outside. "See, Pan?" I asked triumphantly. "I left."  
  
"Good," she said, smirking. "Now let's go."  
  
"Huh? Go where?" Uh oh.... something wasn't right here.  
  
"To my house, silly," Pan said insidiously. "I have to grab an outfit I told Bra I was wearing  
tonight. Then it's off to your house. Everybody is waiting!"  
  
Oh shit. I can't believe I just let her trick me into leaving all of my work behind and going  
clubbing! What the hell was wrong with me? Her tricks worked when she was like, five, and no  
one suspected a thing from the cute little angel, but I thought the tricks stopped working when  
she was older. I mean, she was still cute, very cute in fact, but she was definitely no angel.  
  
"Pan, wait a minute!" I desperately tried to open the window so I could get back inside. "I have  
work to do! I can't come clubbing with you guys tonight! Did you see all of those papers on my  
desk?! I only have a few more days to go through them!"  
  
"Trunks," she said pleadingly, although there was that tone in her voice that said she was going  
to get her way. "Please don't tell me you want to break your promise." She gave me puppy-dog  
eyes. I looked away. I couldn't survive the puppy-dog eyes. "Besides," she continued, "I'll help  
you with those papers tomorrow."  
  
Well, I give up. There's nothing I can do now.   
  
"You know," she commented as she grabbed my arm and started to fly towards her house with  
me in tow, "If you fell for something like that, then its a real scary thought that you're the CEO of  
Capsule Corporation."   
  
I sighed and let her lead me to her house.  
  
We arrived at her house a few minutes later. She flew us through her bedroom window and set  
me down unceremoniously on the floor. "Daddy is going to tell you to keep an eye on me tonight  
and that clubbing isn't the best way to spend our time and not to let me drink a lot and bla bla  
bla," she explained, "and so it's just better that you don't run into him. Be quiet so they don't  
hear us."   
  
"How about I yell and scream?" Then I could go back to work when they lecture her.  
  
"How about I tell daddy that you were looking through my window when I was getting dressed?"  
  
I gulped. As much as she was being a pain right now, she meant well. She just wanted to get  
me away from work for a while, and I realized that I should probably be thanking her for it. But  
still, there were a million things to be done in the office and I really had to finish them. Half of  
me wanted to be with her, er, clubbing, and the other half wanted to be doing work.  
  
"Now shush," she said as she grabbed an outfit out of her closet and walked into the bathroom  
attached to her room. A minute or two later she emerged wearing a short black skirt that was low  
cut, revealing two red beaded strings to her thong, and a gray tube top. She looked very, very  
nice. I forgot how sexy she always looked when we went out clubbing. I stared at her for a  
minute, and luckily she didn't notice. She quickly crossed her room to get shoes and a make-up  
bag, then she grabbed my arm and we were back out the window.  
  
"When was the last time you've been clubbing, Trunks?" She asked as we neared my house.   
  
"Ugh.." I thought for a moment. "I guess it would have to be the last time I went with you guys."  
  
"Well," she said, "It would have been sooner if you had come with us last night."  
  
"Pan, for the last time: I was busy. You know I would have come if I could." She remained silent  
for a while. "Pan?"  
  
"You sound like my father," she said, frowning. Her father?  
  
"What? Do you think I'm old, Panny?"   
  
"Older," she said after a moment, "But not old."  
  
I had meant that as a serious question, and I think she understood this. I was satisfied with the  
answer that she gave, I think. After all, I was already in my 30s. I wasn't married, and I didn't  
even have a girlfriend. I still looked no older than 24, and since I was a Saiyan it seemed that I  
wouldn't even look 25 for another few years. But still... age-wise, I was really getting up there.   
But then I thought back to her answer. Older? Older?!  
  
"What did you mean by older? Older than what?" I asked.  
  
She remained silent as we landed at my house. "Come on, Mr. President," she said as she  
pulled me inside. "Hey everybody!" She yelled, "Look who I brought!"  
  
Goten and Uub, who were all ready to go, walked in from the kitchen. Bra and Marron came  
from her room to stand at the top of the steps and look down.  
  
"Pan!," Bra called, "I can't believe you got his sorry ass out of the office! What did you do? Drug  
him?"  
  
"No...," Pan said winking at me. "But close."  
  
"Well come upstairs and finish getting ready," Bra said to her.  
  
Pan began to walk up the stairs toward the girls. "Pan, that outfit looks great on you," Marron  
gushed. It did look great. I hadn't told her that though, but only because she made me leave the  
light in my office on when she locked us out. If she hadn't done that, I just might have told her.  
  
After talking with Goten and Cub for a few minutes, I went up to my room to shower and get  
dressed. When I came back downstairs, everyone was already down there. When we go  
clubbing, we usually take two cars, since the six of us don't comfortably fit in my convertible. So  
we walked outside and Goten hopped in his car. Marron and Cub followed. Bra was heading  
toward my car, but then I decided I needed to talk to Pan.  
  
"Hey Bra," I said when no one else was paying attention, "Could you go with Goten? I've got to  
talk to Pan."  
  
"Well, okay," she said, confusion apparent in her voice. "Can I ask what you're going to talk to  
her about?"  
  
I frowned. "She called me old. Well, I think she did, anyway."  
  
My sister raised an eyebrow at me. A moment later she was cracking up as she turned and slid  
into the passenger seat of Goten's car. I saw her lean over and whisper something in Goten's  
ear, to which he started laughing too.  
  
"Bitch," I called as she smirked at me and waved.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: A fairly long chapter, ne? Anyway, I hope you liked it. I won't update until I have 60 reviews!   
Bwahaha! Well....  
  
Guess what? I got a job. I mentioned that in the above A/N, but no one pays attention to that I bet.  
I work at an art/craft store (A.C. Moore - No one does arts, crafts, and florals better!) and I love it.   
  
BUT...  
because of my job, and the fact that school starts soon, updates might be few and far between. That's  
why you might want to take advantage of the fact that I'll e-mail you when I update my fics. Just say   
you want to be on the update list in your reviews and I'd be happy to put you on the list. If you want to be  
notified when I update any of my other fics (A New Threat or Unknown Bond) then tell me when you review  
those fics. Thanks!  
  
By the way - THANK YOU REVIEWERS for chapter three...  
DarkFire101, Radditz_Onna, da_blk_sayaingurl, Insane Squirrel, dolphin, qon, lysie3000, anonomous,  
Laura...  
And the Signed-In Authors (I must give them credit for not being too lazy to sign in, as most of us are..)  
Ills, LLy, coherentidiot, Animechick, pan-chan16k, mizuko, gohansfan, PanHopeNVS, Akira Kino Arai,   
KittyMonster, and artimus cangee. ^-^ Thank you all!  
  
Everyone else: PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love to hear what you think. 


	5. Dances with Dogs

Silly Author's Notes:  
  
Thanks for waiting for this chapter. I know I haven't written since last summer... and that's  
  
pathetic, I know. I'm sorry!   
  
*** Error Correct*** Where it says 'Cub' in Ch. 4, I meant 'Uub'! (damn spell check!)   
  
  
  
Anyoo, here's chapter five, finally. I'm extremely sorry for the long wait. I do check reviews often, and I love them! I have 73 reviews at this point, and I think I'll consider writing chapter 6 when I get 90 reviews... *smirks evilly* No, actually, I consider chapter 6 when I have TIME for it. Reviews aren't really a factor, but I'd like to have some to tell me how I'm doing.  
  
Chapter 5 -   
  
I slid into the front seat of Trunks' car just as he was getting into the driver's seat. Goten, Bra,  
  
Marron, and Uub were in the car behind us, waiting for us to start moving so they could follow. I glanced in the rearview mirror and raised an eyebrow. I could see Goten and Bra cracking up about something, and I wish I knew what it was. I could go for a laugh right about now. I was alone in the car with Trunks, and I was still a little pissed at him for what he did to me earlier. I didn't hear an apology yet, and I, of course, wanted one. I mean, it would be nice.  
  
Trunks started the car and in a moment we were on our way. I settled into my seat and looked out the window at the passing trees. It was raining outside, but not drizzling exactly. It was the kind of rain that fell slow but had those big fat drops that always seem to land on your cheeks, and collected in those same fat drops on the windows. I know Trunks wished he didn't have to leave the top of the car up, but I didn't care either way. The rain was a pretty sight, actually.   
  
"Pan?"   
  
Ooh, Trunks is going to say something to me. Could this be my apology? I certainly hope so, because I've been waiting for it all day now. The stupid baka isn't off the hook with me yet. "Yeah?" I asked casually.  
  
"Earlier," he began, "you said I wasn't old, but that I was 'older'. Remember?"  
  
Yes. I remember. I have a feeling this isn't leading to my apology though, but maybe something more interesting.  
  
"Yeah," I told him, "Why?"  
  
"Well...," he said, and I noticed he shifted in his seat a bit uncomfortably. "Older… how?"  
  
I forgot all about the apology I was expecting, because really it wasn't all that important, and stared at him blankly. I felt kind of bad for saying that to him in the first place. I could tell that he'd been thinking about it for a while. Probably not as long as I've been waiting for my apology, but this was Trunks - and for him to mull over something like this wasn't anything I wanted.  
  
"Trunks, that's not what I meant," I paused as I racked my brain for the right words. "I meant that you're older. Older than... well, older than you were before."  
  
"Everyone is older than they were before," he said after some silence. He didn't understand, and  
  
I didn't blame him. I wasn't telling him the exact truth of what him being 'older' actually meant to me. I still wasn't so sure that I wanted to.  
  
"No, Trunks," I said as Trunks parked the car at the club, "That's not what I meant either."  
  
"Then what-"  
  
To avoid answering the question I knew was coming, I opened the door and sprang out of the car. "Come on, Trunks," I called into the car, "let's go!"  
  
"But Pan-"  
  
There was definitely no way I could pretend not to hear him, so I just smirked at him to let him know that I was avoiding the situation purposely. He grumbled something, then muttered something about how if he was so old then he shouldn't be clubbing with us. I smiled up at him and linked my arm through his to show that I appreciated his company as I drug him towards the club. Goten, Bra, Marron, and Uub were leading the way across the parking lot.   
  
We got right through the crowds and into the club because, well, we were with the president of  
  
Capsule Corp. That's an added perk when we're with Trunks. Bra can get us in too, but she's not as easily recognizable as Trunks is. Although with Trunks, that's sometimes a bad thing.   
  
"Well this old ass might as well have some fun tonight," Trunks commented as we entered the club.  
  
"Now that's the spirit," I said sarcastically as we sat down at a booth.  
  
"Panny," Trunks nearly whined. "Why do you think I'm old?"  
  
I sighed. He had a one track mind. And the way he was acting now, it was as if he was trying   
  
to play off the big deal that he had made about it before. I could tell he still really did care though.   
  
"Trunks, for the last time, I… I didn't mean it," I told him.   
  
"Yes you did." He gave me one of those sad, pathetic, 'how could you' looks.  
  
"Trunks!" I laughed. "I do not! Quit your bitching! And don't give me that look!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's....," I tried not to laugh, but it wasn't working. I cracked up. "It's terrible!"   
  
He threw his head back and laughed, and I could tell that he'd stop bothering me about being old... for now, anyway. We were both laughing by now and I started to feel less distanced from Trunks. He ordered a drink for each of us and we settled back with them and watched the scene around us.   
  
"You can't say you didn't miss this," I said as I noticed a sparkle that I hadn't seen in Trunks' eyes in months.   
  
"Of course I did," he said as he took a sip from his drink, "but when I'm buried under mountains of paperwork, it's the last thing I think about. I have too much other crap to worry about. Unlike you, who is content to go clubbing every night and forget about her future and starting a career, and-"  
  
"Excuse me," I interrupted, "I'll have you know that I'll be working at Capsule Corporation starting  
  
in two weeks." Yes. It was true. This was a little piece of information that I'd been keeping from  
  
Trunks, just so I could spring it on him at a moment when he really didn't expect to hear it. That's always a kick.   
  
He stared at me dumbfounded for a minute. "Why didn't you tell me?!" He exclaimed indignantly after he'd regained his senses. "I'm the President; I would have really liked to know this information sooner!"  
  
"You mean you don't want me to work with you?"  
  
This question was aimed at sending Trunks on a small guilt trip. After all, he had just assumed that I was clubbing every night and neglecting my future.  
  
"Of course I want you to work with me! I'm sick of incompetent people working under me! With the workers I have, I'm half surprised that the budget report wasn't written in crayon."  
  
"You have plenty of good workers, Trunks."  
  
"Yeah, but the ones that are ridiculously terrible seem to be around me all the time. So what position did my mother hire you as?"  
  
I paused for a moment. "Your mother didn't hire me."  
  
He choked on his drink a bit. Well, that doesn't do it justice – he pretty much spit his drink across the table. "You mean you went through the whole stupid application process?!"  
  
"Umm... yes...?"  
  
"Pan! You didn't have to do that! We know you, and we would have hired you right away and given you a good position-"  
  
I rolled my eyes and cut him off. "Trunks. That's exactly what I didn't want. I wanted to get the job on my own. Because I had the skill for it. I didn't graduate at the top of my class for nothing."  
  
"Well we know you have the skill for it. What position were you hired as?"  
  
"Umm... actually the guy didn't say."  
  
Trunks slapped his forehead. "Oh Kami," he said as he ran his hand down his face. "That means that you're just going to be filling some random position. They saw your qualifications, liked them, but they aren't necessarily going to use them. They're just going to hire you because your resume looked good and put you anywhere. You can't say you 'didn't graduate at the top of your class for nothing.' Because Pan, you pretty much did just that."  
  
Oh. That's really wonderful.  
  
I sat there as Trunks vented a bit about how I wasn't going to be worked to my potential, and how  
  
I was most likely going to get a job that I was overqualified for or a job that didn't even suit the qualifications that I had. I had been excited about this job before, and he had just crushed it all.   
  
But of course, it was better that he had done it now, rather than have my excitement crushed as they hire me for some kind of janitorial duty or something.  
  
"You know, Capsule Corporation doesn't-"  
  
Before he could finish, a tall blonde approached our booth.   
  
"That's just like you, Mr. Briefs," she began, smiling at Trunks, "always talking business."  
  
Trunks looked up at her and smiled. "Melissa," he greeted, "what brings you here?"  
  
"The music," she said huskily. "Care to dance?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Oh, just one song," she begged, giving him the worst puppy dog eyes I have ever encountered.  
  
"Alright, I would never say no to you, Melissa."  
  
Trunks turned to me before he left. "I'll be back in a bit," he said as he walked off with Melissa.   
  
'Don't bother,' I thought to myself. This Melissa girl seems like a bimbo. A whore. Oh, wait - which of Trunks' girlfriends *weren't* these things? Do I even have to answer my own question? I sighed. Melissa was a tall blonde with big boobs and tight, skimpy clothing. She looked like junk to me, but I guess to any guy, she was gorgeous.  
  
And what right did she have asking Trunks to dance anyway? To any other person, it should look like I'm his date. After all, it was just Trunks and I sitting at the table when she asked him to dance. Now I'm sitting here by myself as I watch him disappear with her.  
  
I sighed and stirred my drink idly. That's right Trunks, dance with the whore. Pretend she's beautiful. Pretend that she's interested in you, not your loads of money and good looks.   
  
Goten picked that moment to sit down next to me. "Man oh man!" He cried, "Do you see that babe that Trunks is dancing with?"  
  
I'm not blind, nor would I care if she's a 'babe' or not. I stood up a bit more quickly and irritably than I had intended and mumbled something about going to the bathroom; I don't even know what I mumbled really, I just wanted some kind of excuse to get out of there.   
  
"What did you say?" Goten shouted over the music.   
  
But I didn't look back at him. I know what he must think by now. He must think that I'm in love with Trunks. And really, it's not that. I just can't stand it when he ditches me for blonde bimbos with no real character. Bimbos with nothing special about them besides their excessive boob size.   
  
He doesn't have a future with her. He knows it too. So why he's wasting his time, I can't imagine.   
  
Only after I got into the bathroom did I notice that Bra had followed me there. She pushed the door open shortly after me and hurried in. The bathroom stunk. It was filled with smoke and two girls were making out in the corner, and getting a bit too intimate with each other for anyone to want to watch. Bra scrunched her face up at them and I took the liberty of guiding them into one of the open bathroom stalls. I stepped back and Bra closed the door. Once that matter was taken care of, I walked to the mirror and pretended to be fixing my make-up.   
  
"Why'd you run out like that?"   
  
Of course, I knew she was going to ask this. So, I tell her.  
  
"I'm so sick of watching Trunks go along with all those morons who throw themselves at him! What annoys me the most is now she's going to think that because he danced with her once, it's an open invitation to spend the night at our table, hanging all over Trunks. Now the rest of us have to listen to her boring, self-centered crap for the rest of the night, all because he can't say no to the trash that he's a magnet for."  
  
Bra stared at me for a moment, shocked at my little outburst. "Woa."  
  
The bathroom door opened and none other than Melissa walked in. "Speak of the devil," I muttered to Bra. She giggled. I walked into a stall before she could see me, because I honestly don't feel like confrontation.  
  
Melissa walked up to the mirror and started fixing her make-up.   
  
"You'll never believe who I was just dancing with," she gushed to Bra, as if the two of them were long-lost best friends. "The president of Capsule Corporation! Trunks Briefs. Oh god damn, he's so rich… and so hot!"  
  
"That's nice," Bra said flatly. "I've seen him naked."  
  
Melissa's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "You have?"  
  
"Yeah. He's real immature and thinks it's real funny to streak through the house when my friends are over."  
  
"He comes to your house?!"  
  
"Yeah. He's my brother."   
  
"Oooh," Melissa squealed. "Do you think you could hook me up with him?"  
  
"Let me think," Bra said, and paused dramatically. Then she laughed. "Oh no, no, I just couldn't! I'd feel so bad for him if I hooked him up with you. I'd regret it for the rest of my life!"  
  
I was cracking up by now, and chose this time to come out of the stall and leave the bathroom with Bra. I didn't look back at Melissa, so I don't know if she shot us any dirty looks or anything. I didn't really care.  
  
"Ugh, I hate that girl," Bra said as we walked back to the table. "She's the daughter of one of the top execs in some company that Capsule Corp. works with. She's a snobby ho-bag. I met her before at some kind of dinner thing, but she doesn't seem to remember me at all."  
  
"Well I'm glad you refreshed her memory."  
  
"Yeah. Me too."  
  
When we got back to the table Trunks was sitting there with Goten, Uub, and Marron.   
  
"Sorry Trunks, dearest," Bra said in a sing-song voice. "I just pissed off your latest dance partner."  
  
"That's okay, he'll just easily find a new one, and she'll be much prettier," I accidentally said out loud. I quickly averted my eyes from the ones that I knew must be looking at me now.   
  
A/N: Well how did you like this chapter? It's been a long time, I know, but a lot has been going on and I just haven't been on my computer as much. And I DO feel bad! Horrible, actually. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Anyone interested in X-Men, be on the lookout for my X-Men fanfiction (it'll most likely be Wolverine/Rogue, or Logan/Marie if you prefer).   
  
Thanks for reading and reviewing. You guys are great. 


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